Q. Tommy Bowden deserved to get fired. Tom Sorensen is crazy if he thinks we'll hire Danny Ford back. What do you think about Fulmer in Clemson?

Ford back? No. Fulmer? Would anyone want him right away if he is dismissed from Tennessee? Clemson's a great job, but I think the fans need to be a little realistic. I don't think Clemson is set up to be a competitor with the LSUs, Floridas and Georgias of the world. The Tigers might have a great season like that in every eight to 10 years, but to expect a 10-1 record every year is unrealistic. I don't think the Tigers can recruit as well as those schools due to geography and conference.

Q. Did you see CMS new eligibility requirements? Why are the media so quiet about that?

I saw them. I thought they made sense. Just stricter requirements about paperwork to make it more difficult to slip through the system. Look, I'm all for moving if you want to move. If that's what you or your parents want to do to switch schools, for whatever reason, it's your right. I think sometimes people from smaller school systems without as much choice don't understand. We've got nearly 40 high schools in immediate Mecklenburg County. That's a lot of options.

Q. Good column Steve Smith. You think people are too hard on the guy? I thought it was pretty cool he went to high school last week.

Steve has brought some of this stuff on himself. He knows that. He says he wonders what people are thinking when they talk to him, wondering if they still associate him as the guy who punched Ken Lucas in training camp. Steve does a lot of things in the community all the time, many without any fanfare.

Q. How low can you go to use the purity and innocence of high school football and especially children to try to attempt to rehabilitate the thuggish behavior of little man Steve Smith? This stoops to new levels and hard to believe a newspaper of quality and integrity like the Observer would promote such as this.

The high school kids, you will remember, wrote essays in an attempt to have Smith on campus. Seems they wanted him there.

Q. When does your basketball coverage start? What can we expect? Who do you think will be in the Sweet 16?

Basketball coverage will start Sunday. We're going to do class-by-class previews and a few new gadgets and features I think you'll like. Sweet 16? I can't give that away, but I will say this might be the best year for girls' basketball ever in Charlotte.

31
comments:

Anonymous
said...

Getting onto basketball, I have seen Ethan Kincaid of the Freedom Patriots play the last couple years. I was wondering is he on your list of recruits that you have to see. He is got to be one of the best point guards in the state. Have you ever seen or heard of him? I think Freedom's team this has to be rank in the top 5, they are going to be special this year.

The MC incident was that of a mistake when the kid enrolled in CMS. It was made by another school, and was never picked up until now. No one "sat on it" and it had nothing to do with the lack of responsibility on MC's part. They reported it, and despite the consequences, made an ethical decision. The reason why the kids were and still are 10-0 is because they worked hard, that's it...no recruiting issues or eligibility issues, just hard work. Can all of CMS FB programs honestly say that their success is truly from hard work alone! Keep your heads up.....you have still got one more win ahead of you!!

LW--your newest column says Mallard Creek's season is still one to relish. How can you even try to justify that comment? They cheated and now are being punished-plain and simple. While I feel bad for the kids for losing their season, they don't have to look too far to place the blame--it's right there on their AD and administration. But let's not congratulate a team for tainted success--especially in the paper.

Give up the ghost dude. Its over and please try to contain your grief when Senior Dr HS throws down on aflac Fri nite. Never cry over plucked feathers. We have to clean up CMS image and that includes illegal players, coaches, lazy ADs, scapegoating rogue principals etc. It takes a CMS village.

Yes we know everyone does it everywhere but that dosent make it right. To be that high profile shining city on the hill you gotta put yo mo where yo mouth is.

Be that shining city. Set the standard for others to follow. Accept nothing less than 100% purity of athletic competition. Be a role model.

NCHSAA needs that out of CMS so these other rogue systems will adhere too. Clean house and keep it clean. Integrity only.

The player and his parents knew they were cheating. Every athlete in CMS was required to watch a video that clearly explained the eight semester rule before practice started. They knew how long he had been in school. They selfishly chose to try to sneak through and put their entire team at risk. It has now blown up and a lot of good kids have been hurt.Shame.

Just listened to the "Sweet 16" and once again NO mention of Belmont South Point! Why do you guys consistently ignore one of the best teams in the area? There was a big headline about Forestview last week, then Belmont shut them out. They lost their first game and have won DECISEVELY since, with three out of last four being shut outs! Why is there a vendetta against this team?

The player at MC had to be 18 in August when practice started, that in itself should put up a red flag. Will the crybabies stop pointing at Indy, the rules clearly state if a player lies the school will not be punished. If you want to change that rule then do it. BTW, will someone explain the 9 coaches ready to quit thing?

Why is Ann Doss Helms reporting on HS football? Its pathetic for Gorman and the prin to play dumb & support unethic cheats hoping to overturn the NCHSAA ruling as if CMS hasnt had enough of this prob. Shouldnt the prin and super be the 1st to condemn? Cut the crap. Guilty as charged. No weasiling out.

Gorman getting soft? It was he who implemented the dist changes last yr on elig after invest for mos and this sit is worse involving a college age recruit from another state? Please.

Gorman wanted to make cheating a misdemeanor with jail/fines like other states have resorted too. That didnt cut muster with some elected protectionist school board mems.

Is the new ex-Dade HC recruit from Fla? What state was involved? Whos bankrolling this outfit anyway?

Langston you are usually right on the target my opinion, but when you say that smaller school systems don't get it that you have so many schools in your area that people should be able to go anywhere you want you are wrong. If the larger systems are allowed to assemble all-star teams in sports its provides an unfair playing field. Put all those systems in their own classification and let the recruiting continue. Just a thought.

Charloote Meck Schools have been caught cheating at high school sports? That can't be true. I'm shocked as I am sure everyone else is. There are two things that I would bet my life on. One is that Meck. county schools do not break the rules in athletics, and the other is that a black man could never be elected President of the US. Uh, now that I think about it. Nevermind. Make Mecklenburg County play by the same rules. Elect Obama.

College football players at Mallard Creek? This school is in only its 2nd yr of existence. Conventional wisdom and common sense demands you at least try to keep it clean for the first few yrs before even thinking about bending rules. Shame on you.

olympic basketball team is going to surprise many this year. They have alot of talent over there. i think they're gonna take the queen city by a mile especially with shamel not playing at west meck and harding not going to be strong

hey Langston,just wondering...could you see a scenario setting up where there would be a potential Mooresville/Lake Norman rematch in the 1st round...or is there a rule preventing this? that would be a nice rematch lol

You guys stick to the topic. Obama is a white guy anyway. We cant allow a cheater school into the playoffs. Could you imagine the controvery if other schools were knocked out of the playoffs by a cheater? What if by a miracle they won the state? There would be all kinds of protests and trouble. The NCHSAA has to keep a perfect image or they will be tainted. See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil. Even Jesus said the entire Bible was 100% perfection truth and if any part of it was a lie then it would all be tainted as a lie.This is how the NCHSAA must operate too.

Langton, it's good to see that the Observer has abandoned covering friday night football. The Observer puts a picture on the front cover then that's it? You had huge games Friday night and no coverage! WC vs Mallard Creek, Country Day vs Latin, Myers Park vs Providence, South Meck vs AK, Christian vs Providence Day. And nothing but game summaries in the paper. Is this a recent move by the Observer? It would be nice to reward some of the LOCAL students that we have by giving them coverage AFTER a game. When your the only paper in town I guess you can do what you want.

Langston a great win for Coach Hardin and the young Chargers last night against Christian. PDS never trailed and earned that win against a far more experienced and talented squad. It has been an up and down year against a very tough schedule but the team is turning the corner and believing in this coaching staff. As you know, the large and talented eight grade team went 5-1 and shut out both Latin and Country Day, outscoring their opponents in five wins 150-6 with four shutouts. Bruce played a large number of freshmen and sophomores this year who gained valuable experience. The future is bright for the Chargers as the off-season strength program begins in earnest. These guys love Coach Hardin and this hard working staf.

What are your thoughts on the whole Charlotte Christian/NCISAA State playoffs mess? Have you ever seen a team get left out of postseason event due to lack of performance, only to be given a spot in the playoffs days later? If Country Day had lost to Providence Day, or Latin had lost to Country Day, could they have gotten into the playoffs after the fact simply because they beat a team who did qualify in addition to the AFC Rangers or Westminster Christian?